Beauty on a Budget: My Favorite Products & Money-Saving Tips
Beauty on a budget is not always easy, so I thought that I would share with you some of my favorite products and tips. I barely wear any makeup because I am lazy, but I am pretty happy with my skin, and I like to keep things pretty simple. Let’s go through the budget beauty supplies that I own and use on a regular basis.
Hair
I have naturally red curly hair. I just wash it and air dry it. I wrap it in a towel and not a T-shirt material although I know that would work better.
I get haircuts about twice a year and usually with an apprentice because that is either free or super cheap. I used to go to a hairdresser, which was more expensive, and they were always running late because of overbooking. Instead, I can go to an apprentice, and get my hair cut and double-checked.
When I go, I usually get a trim at the ends and get some color because some grays are coming through. I have tried cutting my hair on my own, but I cannot style it and I do not have the time or the skills and I am not interested in investing in learning it, so I just go to an apprentice.
It is usually easy to find an apprentice on Facebook. Go on your town’s Facebook group and you will find people searching for models for beauty or hair and asking for a small fee or even offering their services for free. Apart from haircuts, I often model for blowouts or curl training when I have the time. I have also been a model for a Curly Girl treatment that was really good and left me with some samples to use.
If I want to style my hair, I now use these Schwartzkopf hair mousses that I got on clearance. One of them is a keratin mousse that I got for AUD 5 ($3.20) instead of the retail price of AUD 20 ($12.80) and it has lasted me 6 months, and the other is a power mousse that I got for AUD 3 ($1.90).
For hair-washing purposes, I still have a couple of Avon shampoos and conditioners to go through, and if I buy any products it is only on clearance for AUD 1.5 ($1).
We also have a couple of these 2.5-pound refillable packets of Schwartzkopf strengthening shampoo.
My daughter uses Goat moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. The shelf price is AUD 7.99 ($5.10), and I buy them when they are half price for AUD 3.99 ($2.55). These probably last her about a month, and sometimes my son uses them too, because if any gets in his eyes, it does not sting as much as what regular shampoo does.
As a conditioner, I use another Schwartzkopf product - an express treatment. It is great when you do not have time, and it keeps my hair really soft. This was on clearance for AUD 5 ($3.20), so I bought about four or five bottles.
Face
I have had a lot of years in the beauty industry and only recently have I learned a lot about ingredients and products, as I came to YouTube and started seeing influencers talk about those things. Still, we keep it very simple, with just the most basic face wash and a moisturizer.
This is the wash we use. I normally only use it in the shower at nighttime, and in the morning I just wash my face with water and then put on a day cream. The retail price is about AUD 12 ($7.65), but I buy them when they are half price for AUD 5.75 ($3.65). I have seen them in every store, so just find them cheap and stock up.
When it comes to treatments, I tend to stick to The Ordinary. I use a couple drops of niacinamide every other night. I have found that one bottle can last me for about six months. I also have plenty of bottles that other people did not like and gave to me, and I am still trying to figure out my perfect beauty routine, so I have been using one serum every night, but I find that my skin is the best with just niacinamide and a basic night cream. So simple is best.
For night and day cream, I have a lot of brand products because they were on sale. I got a few of these Nivea creams on clearance for AUD 5 ($3.20), same with the L'Oreal one and this men’s moisturizer. It does not matter what name is on the packet, as long as it is cheap.
My daughter and I do get pimples or little patches from time to time, so we use this product for those spots. I got this box with 90 patches for AUD 7 ($4.50), and it is the best thing ever, so yourself a favor and get them.
Finally, to moisturize my lips, I just use Vaseline. I often have people asking me what lip color I had on, and it was just Vaseline.
When it comes to beauty treatments, I no longer get waxing, eyelashes, or tinting done, but if I did, again, I would go to a beauty school because it is free. Yes, you might take a little bit longer because they are training, but usually it is still a perfectly good result and so much cheaper.
Body
To wash my body, I use a Body Shop shower gel. Just half a five cent coin amount is more than enough each time. I got it with an AUD 10 ($6.40) birthday voucher, spending only AUD 2 (1.30). Another one is Natio and it cost me AUD 0.46 ($0.29) the same way. I do not use a lot of body moisturizer anymore, but when I do, I am finishing up old products that I got for free from my mom or for very cheap.
I follow the same principle with deodorant, hand soap, and toothpaste – whatever is cheapest is best. I shop on clearance or at discounts and stock up.
Beauty on a budget
These are all the beauty budget tips that I have for you today. What products do you use? Do you shop for the cheapest items or look for specific models? Let me know in the comments!
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